Nightingale
by BlackRose108
Summary: Katara wanted to know when the situation had become so unreal? And how she could allow herself to fall so hard for Aang that she would go completely mad without him? During the episode "The Awakening". KATAANG.


**I just wrote this to relieve my KWS (Kataang Withdrawal Syndrome).**

**But, it does have a source. I was watching "Avatar Extras" on Nicktoons and one of the pop-ups for the episode **_**The Awakening**_** specifically mentioned the "Florence Nightingale Effect" when Katara was healing Aang. This effect is used when a nurse falls in love with their patient. They mentioned that this was what was going on between Katara and Aang. **

**Pretty cool huh?**

**So, of course I had to write about it. **

**This is a revised scene after Katara's healing session in episode 301, but then it strays off on its own path. **

**Oh, and sorry if there's some grammar errors, I'll re-edit later, but it's late. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

Nightingale

"You need to rest," Katara told Aang and placed a hand gently on his cheek. He had only been awake a little over an hour, but Katara could already tell that his body was shutting down on him, again. The effects of his sudden wake-up were wearing off, and she knew it would be a while before he could get through a whole day without being worn out by nightfall.

Aang didn't reply to her, though, he just placed a hand over one of hers and brought it closer to his cheek, seeming to bury his face into it.

"You saved my life." He told her again; his words sounded more strained this time, like they were causing him pain as he said them.

"I had to, Aang." Katara told him, being plain and simple. Aang just looked up in her eyes, seeing the seriousness that loomed within them and sighed, placing her hand down.

"I know, because I'm the Avatar." He groaned, realizing that she probably had to save him because the world needed him, or something along those lines. Katara let out a laugh at this.

"No," She denied clearly and Aang's head shot up at this. "Because don't think I can make it without you." Aang hadn't met her eyes completely until that moment. His grey orbs were filled with so many questions Katara felt that she was going to get a headache from reading what were between his lashes. "Come on," Katara said, standing. "I have to clean your wounds."

Aang poked his lips out in a somewhat childish manner before attempting to stand on his own. It was a miserable, attempt, though, and his back buckled on him as soon as he started to move. Katara sprang to his rescue, supporting him by holding the small of his back and draping another arm around his shoulder.

She was going to have to get used to helping Aang out with the simplest things. Normally he was able to stand and wake up and even clean himself on his own, but now he was too weak to do so. Katara suspected that he would still be stubborn and try to everything himself, but for the time being—even if that just meant that night—she would help him out in the best way that she could.

Aang was silent as he stripped down to his underwear and untied his bandages. Katara got out some soap and water, making sure not to let Aang's hisses and moans faze her. She had to get his wounds as clean as she possibly could so the blood wouldn't crust and they wouldn't get infected. Though she tried to use a little of her healing abilities to make the procedure a little less painful. Aang was thankful for this and gave her a small smile once she was wrapped up all seven of his scars. One on his right shoulder and wrist, left arm, back, left leg, right knee, and left foot.

It was a lot of work, caring for Aang. But Katara noticed that not once had she ever minded taking care of him. She just felt it in her to make sure he was okay by nature, like it was engraved in her to take care of this boy she hadn't even known a full year.

She knew what made him wince and groan with discomfort and how to use her healing water over his wounds so they had the best effect. It was almost like she knew his body in and out and by heart without even being taught.

When she mentioned this to Sokka on one of the rare moments they were taking about something feeling oriented, Sokka just smiled and told her love could do that you. Katara couldn't exactly deny that when Sokka said that to her, she just stood and said she needed to check on Aang, again.

Aang and Katara made it to Aang's room again. She knew it was well into the night and that Aang needed to bed down or he might sleep through the next day entirely.

"I hate feeling so weak." Aang told her when he took his seat at the foot of the bed. Katara was busy pulling down his covers and sheets before walking over the making a move to help him get over to the front of the bed. Aang just held up his hand, signaling her to stop and crawled, rather painfully, over to the head of the bed and plopped down on the pillows with a deep groan. Katara smiled sadly.

He was trying.

"You know there's nothing wrong with a little help."

"I just don't like feeling useless, especially now." He sighed.

"I know it's hard, but I can tell you that you're definitely not useless." Katara told him softly, stroking his newly grown hair and being as bold as to kiss his temple before making her way over to the nightstand in his room. She put all of her healing supplies away, making sure to be extra quiet do Aang could some sleep. But he wasn't sleeping. His eyes were open, staring lovingly at the girl before him. Fiddling around in his room and tidying things up like she was is nurse. And the fact that she seemed to do it out of instinct made him love her even more.

She had saved his life and made it so he could still open his eyes and see her before him, and yet all he could do was complain about how he hated being weak.

Stubbornly Aang did his best to get out of the bed and walk over to Katara, but as soon as she heard him rustle through the sheets to sit up, Katara was at his side.

"Is something wrong?" She asked. "Are your pillows fluffy enough, do you need some water, or some-" He placed a finger on her chattering lips and smiled at her.

"Thank you, Katara." He told her deeply and in a clarity that Katara had never heard in him before. He moved his hand from her lips to cup her cheek. "I don't want you to think I'm not grateful for all that you've done. You didn't have to do all this for me and you still did."

Katara suddenly became very emotional, for one reason or another, and began to tear silently. Aang just used both hands to wipe away the few tears that escape from her eyes and offered her a reassuring smile.

"Yes, I did." Katara said to answer Aang's previous statement of her not having to help him. "I know it's selfish, but I needed you to wake up…for me."

"I'm glad I did." Aang whispered. "I can't make it without you either." Katara simply couldn't hold in her need anymore. She had gotten a quick hug out of him when he first woke up, but it wasn't enough, she wanted to be immersed in him, to feel his arms protecting her and keeping her warm. She had been strong up until that moment. She had kept on a serious face and claimed to be all business up until that moment. Now she was going to let it all out and be vulnerable and let Aang make her feel better.

Like he always did.

She dove into his arms and held him as tightly as she possibly could without hurting him. Aang's initial shock faded quickly and soon he was holding her just as tightly, getting lost in her scent and wanting nothing more than to pull her in the bed with him and fall asleep just as they were.

"Don't scare me like that anymore, Aang, do you hear me?" Katara cried to him. "I can't take it, anymore, I missed you so much I thought I was going to go insane."

Aang didn't exactly know what to say in this situation. He hadn't exactly been conscious enough to even know what was going on while Katara suffered, but he could imagine how he would feel if Katara was the one who was knocked out for weeks and he had to sit there and watch her every day. Just lie there and not move. Waiting for a single sign that she would wake up and every night going to sleep at her bedside because he was too afraid that she'd wake up in the middle of the night and he wouldn't be there for her.

He gulped ad held her even tighter. She moaned slightly in comfort and then, just as quickly as she hugged him, she pulled back.

"I'm sorry I…" She trialed off, suddenly feeling very much out of breath. "…you need to rest, Aang." She pushed him down against the pillows gently and started to get up, but Aang grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"Stay with me?" He asked her weakly. His eyes were shining in a pure innocence that made Katara's heart completely melt for him. But she answered 'no'.

"I-I can't Aang."

"Why not?" He asked her seriously. Katara stood there before him for a good long while before she realized she couldn't think of any logical reason—in her mind—at that moment that was against her spending the night there with him. She had slept by his bedside almost every night since they were on the boat, and now that he was finally awake she couldn't think of any better way to finally be with him.

Quietly and without meeting his gaze Katara removed her outer robe, revealing her chest wrappings which she usually wore when she and Aang practiced water bending. Feeling it was more proper to leave her pants on she climbed into bed after folding the robe and placing on the floor beside the bed. She climbed carefully over Aang before making herself comfortable under the covers.

She brought the cover up to her nose and finally looked at him. He was smiling lovingly at her, one of his arms under his pillow and the other draped lazily over the top of the covers. He quickly moved that hand underneath the covers and searched blinding for her hand until he located it. Then he intertwined their fingers slowly, not breaking eye contact with her as he did so.

Katara opened her mouth so many times after Aang did this, feeling like she needed to say something to clear the thickness of emotions that loomed in the air between them. But she was too far gone in the moment to remember how to work her mouth. She was just trying to figure out how Aang finally being awake and well with her had suddenly became so much like a dream to her. She quivered when he moved closer to her and planted a sweet and soft kiss right on her forehead. He tucked one of her dangling strands of hair bound by her hair loops behind her ear and moved to kiss her cheek. And she quivered again.

"Aang," was all Katara could seem to get out in a small whisper.

"Yeah?" he answered back, just as quietly.

"What's going on with me?" She asked him oddly, Aang corked a brow up at her before squeezing her fingers underneath the covers. "Why do I feel like I'm in love with you?" The words just split form Katara's mouth so easily that she almost gasped at the fact that she said them. Aang's shock returned before his eyes darkened with need and he leaned over to kiss her lips roughly, apparently catching his second wind in the process.

And Katara kissed him back just as hungrily.

It had been an over emotional and tiring day for the both of them and they could feel the tension and unanswered questions being pour out in each other's kiss. Katara grabbed Aang's sides and pulled him so that he was atop her, making sure to remember his sensitive parts while she gripped his around his torso and kissed him deeper. Aang was too bust tangling his fingers through Katara's hair and bringing his other hand down her back, scaling his finger across her like she was delicate silk.

Katara sank into the pillows more underneath him and loved every second, never wanting to stop kissing him and pull away from the warmth and comfort she felt at that very moment. Aang seemed to agree, not showing any signs of letting up anytime soon.

When had the situation become so unreal? Katara asked herself in the back of her mind while she kissed him. How had she ended up falling so madly for him that she needed to kiss him so roughly, like she hadn't had a meal in weeks and he was a fresh piece of meat that she was ready to devour?

She had nursed him back to health, she had learned every bump and scrap and wincing point on his body. And in turn, she had fallen madly in love with him, realizing that if he hadn't woken up, she'd be lost beyond words.

Katara cracked her eyes opened slightly and saw Aang over her, still kissing her as if his life depending on it and smiled into his next kiss, wanting nothing more than that moment to last forever.

Aang finally tore his lips away from hers and trialed lingering kisses down her neck and to the base of her chest and neck, making her moan slightly in the back of her throat.

"Aang, please," She gasped towards him. Her mind going fast. "…Aang." She gasped again, this time a little louder and more urgently. He immediately tore his mouth away from her skin and flopped back on his back, wincing at the sudden contact.

"Are you alright?" Katara asked him when he was wincing in pain a little more, turning over to his side and reaching her hand out to help him away way that she could.

"I'm fine," he told her. "I'm fine." Katara exhaled deeply and leaned back against the pillows, laughing to herself.

"Well, that was…um…"

"Interesting?" Aang finished for her.

"Yes, interesting."

"Maybe…maybe we should…"

"Slow it down a little bit?" Aang finished again.

"Yeah, that too."

There were a few moments of silence between the two as they caught their breaths and snuggled back down on their own sides of the bed before they turned back to face each other.

"You need to rest, Aang." Katara said for the third time that day and Aang just smiled, deciding to listen to her that time.

"Alright, only if you rest too." He bargained and Katara leaned forward to kiss him swiftly before closing her eyes.

"Deal."

"And, Katara?" Aang said.

"Yeah?" Katara replied, not opening her eyes.

"Maybe the reason you love me is because I love you too?" Katara kept her eyes closed but reached under to covers to retrieve Aang's hand. She smiled when she found it and tightened her grip around his fingers.

"Maybe." She answered and let sleep finally find her.

**Some simple, pointless Kataang fluff. **

**I originally had this idea be a lot more…angsty, but decided to give it a more perky ending instead. Just to lighten the moment. **

**Reviews are always welcomed. **


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